The North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is set to host another dinner theatre performance in North Charleston on Friday, November 6, with God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Poems in Verse presented by Ron and Natalie Daise. The intimate program is based on one of James Weldon Johnson’s most celebrated works and is a tribute to African American culture and heritage. Dinner for the evening is catered by Embassy Suites and includes an entrée of drunken pork tenderloin with bourbon spiked peppercorn jus, granny smith apple, and red onion relish. Tickets are on sale until Tuesday, November 3.
James Weldon Johnson was an American author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, and civil rights activist. In God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Poems in Verse, husband-and-wife team Ron and Natalie Daise bring Johnson’s 1927 volume of verse to life through music. The couple’s dramatic readings embody the energy, vitality, and culture of African-American religious oratory on which the author’s writings were patterned after. The production includes a cappella selections of Gullah spirituals and will appeal to lovers of inspirational writing, scholars of African-American culture, and persons who appreciate great poetry.
Ron Daise is an author, performing artist, and cultural preservationist. Natalie Daise is a visual artist, storyteller, and creative catalyst. The duo has been performing together for more than 20 years and is a recipient of the 1996 SC Order of the Palmetto and the 1997 State of South Carolina Folk Heritage Award. They are perhaps best known for their roles as stars and cultural consultants for Nick Jr. TV’s Gullah Gullah Island in the 1990s.
God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Poems in Verse will be presented at the Charleston Area Convention Center Ballroom (adjacent to the North Charleston Performing Arts Center) at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. The ballroom doors open at 7 p.m. for dinner. Tickets are $40 per person. Group discounts are offered for parties of four or more. Ticket price includes dinner, play, and gratuity. Tickets for just the play can be purchased for $10. Parking is free. A cash-only bar will be available. To purchase tickets, contact Pam Smith at 843-740-5847 by Tuesday, November 3. For information on additional programs and events, contact the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854 or visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website.